Suction cleaner



Nov. 7, 1933. 1 w KITTQ 7 1,933,629

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 20, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1933 PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER William H. Kitto, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 20, 1932. Serial No. 629,677

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and more particularly to a new and improved dusting tool converter attachment to be used in combination with a suction cleaner.

More specifically the invention comprises an improved locking mechanism for a dusting tool converter adapted for the purpose of locking that converter to the suction cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dusting tool converter 1 for use with a suction cleaner.

object to provide a new and improved dusting tool converter locking mechanism. A still further object is a provision of a new and improved dusting tool converter for use with suction cleaners, the locking mechanism of which is so designed that the converter cannot be accidentally displaced from its connection with the suction cleaner, and which tends to more firmly lock the converter to the cleaner upon relative movement therebetween. These and further objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims, and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

In the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner with the converter comprising the present invention embodied therein, certain parts being shown in section; l

Figure 2 is a section upon the line 2 2 o Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the converter per se;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the converter;

Figure 5 is a partial section upon the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 a modern suction cleaner is disclosed and comprises a motor 1, a fan chamber 2, and a nozzle 3, as in the usual suction cleaner. A rotatable fan 4 is positioned within the fan chamber 2 where it can be rotated by the motor 1 to create a reduced suc- 45 tion effective to draw cleaning air through the nozzle 3 and into the fan chamber 2 by 'way of the inlet 5. The cleaner is movably supported upon front and rear wheels 6 and 7 respectively while a handle 8, which is pivotally mounted as at 9, is provided by means of which the cleaner may be moved over the surface covering undergoing cleaning.

The nozzle 3 is provided with an opening 10 in its front wall immediately forward of the inlet 5 of the fan chamber and, when the cleaner is It is a further used as a floor-cleaning tool, this opening is covered by a suitable removable plate of a common type which is not shown. In the relationship shown in Figure 1 the cover plate'has been removed and the converter 11 of a dusting tool has been extended through opening 10 into seating relationship with the inlet 5 of the fan chamber. A suitable peripheral shoulder 12 is formed on inlet 5 while the body of converter 11, which is formed as a conduit, is provided with an exterior flange 13 which is shaped to seat thereagainst, the relationship of the two parts at their points of contact being such that a substantially air tight seal is provided. The outer end of the converter 11 is reduced in size, as at 14, and is provided with spaced protrusions 15, 15 which are adapted to seat within slots upon the cleaner end of the dusting tool hose which is adapted to be seated thereon.

In order to removably lock the converter 11 on the suction cleaner when the machine is to be used as a dusting tool suction-creating unit a new and novel locking-construction has been provided. Two spaced depending walls 16, 16 are provided between which extend pins 1'7 and 18. A looking lever 19 is pivoted about the forward of these pins, that numbered 18, which is springpressed downwardly from the converter 11 and around its pivot by means of a spring 20, one end of which contacts the underside of the converter body while the other end contacts the lever. The function of the outer pin 17 is to limit the pivotal movement of the lever in an obvious manner. Lever 19 is formed with two downwardly extending side arms which at their outer ends are curved forming cam faces. Referring to Figure 3 the line A-A is formed as a circle around the pivot point 18 as a center and it is clear that the face 21 increases in its distance from the point 18 from its bottom to its top. This relationship is very important. To prevent rotation of converter 11 in the inlet 5, a key 22 is provided upon the top of the converter 11 substantially diametrically opposite from the lever 19. To receive this key 22 a keyway 23 is provided in the nozzle 3.

in the opening 10 in nozzle 3 until its forward end no has seated within the inlet 5 of the fan chamber 2. In this relationship annular shoulder 13 upon the converter has contacted the seat 12 and has limited the inward movement while the positioning of the key 22 within the keyway 23 has insured correct alinement. In order for the converter to be inserted to this position the lever 19 has been pivoted upwardly as it slid past the opening 10 but immediately thereafter was forced downwardly by the spring 20 until cam faces 21, 21 contacted the inner side of the nozzle wall immediately adjacent that opening thereby preventing the withdrawal of the converter. If the converter has been loosely seated initially any wabbling movement is immediately counteracted by the further pivoting of lever 19 resulting in each face 21 contacting the nozzle wall at a point spaced farther from pivot point 18. No turning movement is possible because of the key and keyway relationship and any tendency to pivot the converter about key 22 is prevented by lever 21 which contacts the nozzle 10 at its cam faces. Furthermore any tendency to pivot the converter about a point diametrically opposite from the key 22 is prevented by the walls 16, 16 the lower sides of which contact the bottom of the opening '10.

I claim:

1. In combination, a suction cleaner including a nozzle and a fan chamber, said fan chamber having an inlet into said nozzle and said nozzle having an opening spaced from and alined with said inlet, and a removable dusting tool converter extended thru said nozzle opening and seated in said inlet, a pivoted lever having a cam face carried by said converter and positioned so that said cam face contacts the interior of said nozzle adjacent said opening, the relationship between the lever pivot point and the cam face being such that said face approaches and contacts the inner wall of said nozzle as said lever is pivoted in one direction, and spring means urging said lever in the said one direction and tending to force said converter into said inlet.

2. In combination with a suction cleaner including a nozzle and a fan chamber, said fan chamber having an inlet into said nozzle and said nozzle having an opening spaced from and alined with said inlet, a dusting tool, converter including a body formed as a conduit, the forward end of said body extended thru said opening in said nozzle and seated against said inlet, a lever pivoted on said body in said nozzle and extended outwardly thru said opening, said lever formed with a cam face in contact with the inner wall of said nozzle adjacent said opening, and a spring tending to pivot said lever relative to said body and so hold said cam against said nozzle, said lever being adapted to be pivoted to a position adjacent said body to disengage said cam from said nozzle and permit said body to be withdrawn thru said opening.

3. In combination with a suction cleaner ineluding a nozzle and a fan chamber, said fan chamber having an inlet into said nozzle and said nozzle having an opening spaced from and alined with said inlet, a dusting tool converter including a body formed as a conduit, the forward end of said body extended thru said opening in said nozzle and seated against said inlet, a cooperating key and keyway on said body and on said nozzle to prevent rotation of said body, a lever pivoted on said body insaid nozzle and extended outwardly thru said opening, said lever formed with a cam face in contact with the interior of said nozzle adjacent said opening, said lever including said cam being of such dimensions that when said lever is pivoted closely adjacent said body it does not interfere with the outward displacement of said body, and spring means urging said lever from said body.

4. A dusting tool converter for suction cleaners including a body formed as a conduit, a shoulder formed on the exterior of said body adjacent the forward end thereof adapted to limit the penetration of said body into a suction cleaner, a projecting key on said body, adapted to extend into a keyway to prevent rotation of said body, downwardly extending spaced walls on said body, a pin extended between said walls, a rearwardly extending lever pivoted on said pin, said lever formed with a cam face, a second pin between said walls adapted to limit the pivotal movement of said lever, and a spring tending to pivot said lever from said body.

WILLIAM H. KITTO. 

